Question

The Neoclassical idea was founded on:

• A. Plato’s Republic
• B. Aristotle’s Poetics
• C. Horace’s Ars Poetica
• D. Cicero’s Orations

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Horace’s Ars Poetica

Understanding Neoclassicism and its Foundations

• Neoclassicism was a dominant artistic and literary movement flourishing primarily in the 17th and 18th centuries, following the Renaissance.
• It emphasized a revival of classical principles from ancient Greece and Rome, focusing on order, reason, clarity, decorum, balance, and logic, in contrast to the perceived excesses of the Baroque or the emotionalism of the Romantic period that would follow.
• The Neoclassical ideal championed imitation of the classical masters, believing that truth and beauty were timeless and universally applicable.

Horace’s Ars Poetica: The Foundational Text

• The core idea of Neoclassicism, particularly concerning literary principles and poetic composition, was heavily influenced by Horace’s Ars Poetica (Latin for The Art of Poetry).
• Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65 BC – 8 BC), commonly known as Horace, was a leading Roman lyric poet and satirist during the time of Emperor Augustus.
• Ars Poetica is a didactic poem in hexameters, presented as an informal letter to the Pisos, advising them on the craft of writing poetry. It became one of the most influential works of literary criticism in the Western tradition.
• Key principles propagated by Horace in Ars Poetica that resonated with Neoclassical writers include:
  • Utile Dulci (to teach and to delight): The idea that poetry should both instruct and entertain. This dual purpose was central to Neoclassical aesthetics.
  • Decorum: The principle of appropriateness and propriety in style, language, and subject matter. Characters should act and speak in a manner consistent with their age, gender, social status, and moral disposition.
  • Unity and Coherence: Emphasis on a consistent and unified plot, character, and tone, avoiding inconsistencies or irrelevant details. Horace famously advised against starting with an overambitious, confusing opening and advocated for beginning in medias res (in the middle of the action) when appropriate.
  • Imitation of Models: Encouragement to study and imitate the best classical authors, rather than striving for radical originality.
  • Clarity and Simplicity: Advocacy for clear, precise language and avoidance of obscurity or excessive ornamentation.
• While Aristotle’s Poetics was also crucial for its theories on tragedy and dramatic structure (e.g., the three unities of action, time, and place), Horace’s Ars Poetica provided more practical, prescriptive advice on the *art of writing itself* and the moral and social function of poetry, making it a foundational text for the Neoclassical emphasis on rules, decorum, and the didactic purpose of literature.

Influence on Neoclassical Writers

• Prominent Neoclassical figures like John Dryden, Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, and Samuel Johnson deeply admired and frequently referenced Horace’s teachings.
• Pope’s An Essay on Criticism (1711) is a prime example of a Neoclassical critical work that directly echoes many Horatian principles, including the famous lines: “First follow Nature, and your Judgment frame / By her just Standard, which is still the same.”